Electrostatic capacitive touch sensor

• US 6,373,265 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2000
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nitta Corporation, Wacoh Company
• Original Assignee: Nitta Corporation, Wacoh Company
• Inventors: Okada, Kazuhiro, Morimoto, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vincent Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/497,065
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 324/519, 324/686, 324/658, 324/660, 324/661, 324/662, 735/143.2
• US Class Current: 324/686
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2417 by varying separation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/01 combined with other elements on the same substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

An electrostatic capacitive touch sensor including a substrate having a group of fixed electrodes formed thereon; and a movable electrode plate that is integrally molded by using rubber or resin having an elastic property as a whole and that has at least a face which opposes the group of fixed electrodes and is made of a conductive rubber or a conductive resin. The group of fixed electrodes and the movable electrode plate form a plurality of variable electrostatic capacitive sections, and in response to the magnitude and the direction of a force applied onto the movable electrode plate, the electrostatic capacitances of the respective variable electrostatic capacitive sections are allowed to change.

Claims

1. An electrostatic capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a substrate having a group of fixed electrodes which are disposed to work as a pair formed thereon; and

a movable electrode plate that is integrally molded from a material selected from the group consisting of rubber and resin having an elastic property as a whole and has at least a face which opposes the group of fixed electrodes, said face being made from a material selected from the group consisting of a conductive rubber and a conductive resin, said movable electrode plate being provided with a protrusion which extends downward and a lower end of which is in contact with a center portion of said group of fixed electrodes of said substrate, wherein

the group of fixed electrodes and the movable electrode plate are allowed to form a plurality of variable electrostatic capacitive sections, and wherein

in response to the magnitude and direction of a force applied onto the movable electrode plate, the electrostatic capacitances of the respective variable electrostatic capacitive sections are allowed to change.

2. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the group of fixed electrodes are arranged so as to have an interval of 180°

from each other, and wherein, based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitances between two variable electrostatic capacitive sections, a magnitude in an X-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof.

3. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the substrate and the movable electrode plate are enclosed by a metal frame, and one portion of the metal frame is bent over so that the movable electrode plate and the substrate are secured to the metal frame in a manner so as to be pressed thereon, and wherein foreign matters are prevented from entering the variable electrostatic capacitive section from outside by using a sealing property exerted by the elastic restoration force of the movable electrode plate.

4. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 3, wherein the metal frame has a conductive property so that the movable electrode plate is allowed to hold a predetermined voltage through the metal frame.

5. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes of the group of fixed electrodes are arranged so as to have an interval of 90°

with each other, and wherein,

based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitances between two variable electrostatic capacitive sections that face each other on one straight line, a magnitude in an X-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof; and

based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitances between the two variable electrostatic capacitive sections that face each other on the other straight line, a magnitude in a Y-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof.

6. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 5, wherein an independent electrode is formed on a substrate portion surrounded by four electrodes disposed with an interval of 90°

with each other, and wherein, based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitance of the variable electrostatic capacitive section that is formed by the independent electrode and the variable electrode plate, a magnitude in a Z-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof.

7. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 1, further comprising an operation portion for transmitting force to said movable electrode plate, said operation portion being made of rubber or resin, having a protruding shape and being integrally molded with the movable electrode plate.

8. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 7, wherein the operation portion is provided with a space section.

9. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 7, wherein a peripheral protruding portion is formed on the movable electrode plate so as to surround the operation portion, and wherein when the movable electrode plate is attached to a fixing member with the peripheral protruding portion being pressed thereon, a sealing property between the fixing member and the movable electrode plate is secured by the elastic restoration force of the peripheral protruding portion.

10. An electrostatic capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a substrate having a group of fixed electrodes which are disposed to work as a pair formed thereon; and

a movable electrode plate that is integrally molded from an elastomer as a whole and has at least a face which opposes the group of fixed electrodes, said face being made of a conductive elastomer, said movable electrode plate being provided with a protrusion which extends downward and a lower end of which is in contact with a center portion of said group of fixed electrodes of said substrate, wherein

the group of fixed electrodes and the movable electrode plate are allowed to form a plurality of variable electrostatic capacitive sections, and wherein

in response to the magnitude and direction of a force applied onto the movable electrode plate, the electrostatic capacitances of the respective variable electrostatic capacitive sections are allowed to change.

11. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 10, wherein the group of fixed electrodes are arranged so as to have an interval of 180°

from each other, and wherein, based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitances between the two variable electrostatic capacitive sections, a magnitude in an X-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof.

12. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 10, wherein the substrate and the movable electrode plate are enclosed by a metal frame, and one portion of the metal frame is bent over so that the movable electrode plate and the substrate are secured to the metal frame in a manner so as to be pressed thereon, and wherein foreign matters are prevented from entering the variable electrostatic capacitive section from outside by using a sealing property exerted by the elastic restoration force of the movable electrode plate.

13. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 12, wherein the metal frame has a conductive property so that the movable electrode plate is allowed to hold a predetermined voltage through the metal frame.

14. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 10, wherein the electrodes of the group of fixed electrodes are arranged so as to have an interval of 90°

with each other, and wherein,

based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitances between two variable electrostatic capacitive sections that face each other on one straight line, a magnitude in an X-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof; and

based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitances between the two variable electrostatic capacitive sections that face each other on the other straight line, a magnitude in a Y-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof.

15. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 14, wherein an independent electrode is formed on a substrate portion surrounded by four electrodes disposed with an interval of 90°

with each other, and wherein, based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitance of the variable electrostatic capacitive section that is formed by the independent electrode and the variable electrode plate, a magnitude in a Z-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof.

16. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 10, further comprising an operation portion for transmitting force to said movable electrode plate, said operation portion being made of elastomer, having a protruding shape and being integrally molded with the movable electrode plate.

17. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 16, wherein the operation portion is provided with a space section.

18. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 16, wherein a peripheral protruding portion is formed on the movable electrode plate so as to surround the operation portion, and wherein when the movable electrode plate is attached to a fixing member with the peripheral protruding portion being pressed thereon, a sealing property between the fixing member and the movable electrode plate is secured by the elastic restoration force of the peripheral protruding portion.

19. An electrostatic capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a substrate having a group of fixed electrodes formed thereon;

a movable electrode plate that is molded by using elastomer and has at least a face that opposes the group of fixed electrodes and is made of a conductive elastomer; and

an operation portion which is made of a hard material, formed integrally with the movable electrode plate or separately from the movable electrode plate and can transmit force to the movable electrode plate, wherein

the group of fixed electrodes and the movable electrode plate are allowed to form a plurality of variable electrostatic capacitive sections, and wherein

in response to the magnitude and direction of a force applied onto the movable electrode plate, the electrostatic capacitances of the respective variable electrostatic capacitive sections are allowed to change.

20. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 19, wherein the group of fixed electrodes are arranged so as to have an interval of 180°

from each other, and wherein, based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitances between the two variable electrostatic capacitive sections, a magnitude in an X-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof.

21. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 19, wherein a peripheral protruding portion is formed on the movable electrode plate so as to surround the operation portion, and wherein when the movable electrode plate is attached to a fixing member with the peripheral protruding portion being pressed thereon, a sealing property between the fixing member and the movable electrode plate is secured by the elastic restoration force of the peripheral protruding portion.

22. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 19, wherein a protrusion is formed on at least either one of the opposing faces of the substrate and the movable electrode plate so as to prevent the gap between the group of fixed electrodes and the movable electrode plate from becoming too narrow.

23. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 19, wherein the operation portion is made of rubber, resin or metal.

24. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 19, wherein the substrate and the movable electrode plate are enclosed by a metal frame, and one portion of the metal frame is bent over so that the movable electrode plate and the substrate are secured to the metal frame in a manner so as to be pressed thereon, and wherein foreign matters are prevented from entering the variable electrostatic capacitive section from outside by using a sealing property exerted by the elastic restoration force of the movable electrode plate.

25. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 24, wherein the metal frame has a conductive property so that the movable electrode plate is allowed to hold a predetermined voltage through the metal frame.

26. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 19, wherein the electrodes of the group of fixed electrodes are arranged so as to have an interval of 90°

with each other, and wherein,

based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitances between two variable electrostatic capacitive sections that face each other on one straight line, a magnitude in an X-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof; and

based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitances between the two variable electrostatic capacitive sections that face each other on the other straight line, a magnitude in a Y-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with a positive or negative direction thereof.

27. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 26, wherein an independent electrode is formed on a substrate portion surrounded by four electrodes disposed with an interval of 90°

with each other, and wherein, based upon a change in the electrostatic capacitance of the variable electrostatic capacitive section that is formed by the independent electrode and the variable electrode plate, a magnitude in a Z-axis direction of a force applied onto the operation portion is detected together with and a positive or negative direction thereof.

28. The electrostatic capacitive touch sensor according to claim 27, wherein an independent contact-use land is formed on the substrate portion surrounded by four electrodes disposed with an interval of 90°

with each other and a protrusion serving as an electrical contact is formed on a portion of the movable electrode plate opposing the contact-use land, so that a switch is constructed by the protrusion and the contact-use land.